Mixtape – Bands of Hassle Fest 7 (V)

Less than 40 hours left to buy your Boston Hassle Fest 7 tickets (or just donate to fund the campaign) – hurry up for your chance to see Dreamcrusher, Screaming Females, Flipper and David Yow performing live in Boston!

In the meantime, here’s the fifth mixtape in the series:

Mini Dresses – while Guerilla Toss escape to New York from Boston is a fairly common scenario, Mini Dresses represent story of escape is anything but common. Initially an Austin band, the dream pop duo consisting of Lira and Caulfield moved in 2012, having been disappointed with their former homebase.

According to Allston Pudding interview the band fell in love with Boston music scene and the city itself – perhaps this could explain the whole “dream” part behind the band’s pop. Sweet and airy (with just a tinge of melancholy) their music whispers of crushes, summertime and little secrets shared between lovers. There’s very little room left for depression or anger (as can be heard via their single Bracelets – also included on the band’s most recent EP FOUR)

Dreamcrusher – another escapee (this time from Wichita, Kansas to Brooklyn) Luwayne Glass (aka Dreamcrusher) started out by creating remixes for everyone from Erykah Badu to Daft Punk to Clipse. Judging by Mr Me Too, they weren’t so much remixes as a way to destroy and turn the original inside out!

Dreamcrusher originals up the ante (along with volume and noise) – his debut 5 track EP is the sound of things being demolished (yes, that is a reference to Einsturzende Neubauten) in the most merciless fashion and turned into dust. Unapologetically abrasive and old-fashioned (if not no-fashioned), Hackers All of Them Hackers also offers some interesting textures hidden beneath the monstrous sheets of noise – Vacuum, with its danceable beat and a primitive melody, is a good example

Pile – According to Consequence of Sound, Pile sound like a man falling from the top of the Empire State Building and landing safely on his feet only to get run over by a car; they’re a guitar band that doesn’t sound like a guitar band.

The band’s latest LP You’re Better Than This opens up with The World is Your Motel – bastard child of Jesus Lizard and Big Black, heavy and abrasive but not overtly macho and fairly scary in it intensity.

Obnox – Speaking of Jesus Lizard…have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear a sample of one of their songs in a hip-hop track? Well, wonder no more as Obnox (born Lamont Thomas) offers his own original take on both rap and punk in Gunpowder Blow. Part Jesus Lizard Gladiator, part his own narration, Gunpowder Blow is a journey down the darkest depths of genres that few people would even dare and try to mix together.